Begin Again’s Mark Ruffalo relishing his Avengers reboot

Mark Ruffalo

Playing a man hoping for a new beginning is relatable to Mark Ruffalo. He survived a surgery to remove a benign brain tumour in 2001.

Since then, he’s earned respect from his peers, an Oscar nomination for his co-starring part in The Kids Are All Right and lots of Hollywood studio attention for his Hulk role in the blockbuster Avengers film.

That doesn’t mean the 46-year-old father of three has turned his back on the independent movie scene. Proof is his headlining part in the modest budgeted Begin Again in which he plays a lost soul searching for a second chance.

In the John Carney musical, Ruffalo is a down-on-his-luck record label executive who feels resurrected when he discovers a talented singer-songwriter (Keira Knightley) at an East Village open mike night.

The actor admitted he had been overwhelmed with offers since The Avengers scored at the box office, but Begin Again struck a chord.

“There was a sense of morality about the redemption theme I really liked,” said Ruffalo. “My guy’s having his mid-life crisis while trying to adjust to a new friendship in his life and his family life with his wife and his daughter. It really has depth. I just jumped into it.”

Despite getting much attention from Hollywood for his role in The Avengers blockbuster, Mark Ruffalo hasn’t given up on the indie film scene, evident with his new film Begin Again.

On the music in the movie:

“The story doesn’t break for a musical number but the music is important in the film, so I was excited by that,” Ruffalo admitted.

On playing a musical instrument in one pivotal sequence:

“That’s a throwback for me,” he said. “I was a bass player in a garage band that was kind of punk and New Wave, so I was hoping I would be taken seriously and look real as a player. I definitely didn’t want to look like an amateur.”

On shooting the movie on New York streets last summer.

“You had to get comfortable with being uncomfortable,” Ruffalo said. “But I used that because my character has that New York street thing going on.”

On the quick 23-day Begin Again film schedule:

“I think sometimes it takes me 23 days to put on my (Hulk) makeup,” joked the actor, but more seriously added; “on Begin Again, you knew you had to be prepared for anything.”

On doing The Avengers sequel:

“It’s been great,” he said. “We’re still a few weeks out from finishing. I’m looking forward to seeing it as much as the fans.”

On a possible Hulk spinoff flick:

“I’m still hopeful,” Ruffalo said. “Just recently it went from a ‘No’ to a ‘Maybe.’”

On the sequel to the magicians’ heist movie Now You See Me:

“We will probably start filming in October but we’re still looking for a director,” he said.

On the good fortune of having two film franchises:

“It’s a dream for me,” said Ruffalo. “I am really grateful and I am focusing on having a great time. I remind myself every day to smile through it all.”

I am the Postmedia News movie writer and canada.com columnist. I prepare features and profiles stars of major motion pictures, including Robert Downey Jr., George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Julia Roberts... read more. Previously, I was a movie writer for Postmedia's National Post. I was at the George Lucas farm near San Francisco to report on the last Star Wars picture, Revenge of the Sith. I was in New York for the first preview of Peter Jackson's King Kong remake. And I have been up close and personal with high profile A-listers such as Cameron Diaz, Matt Damon, Jennifer Aniston and many others. Before that, I was a sleep-deprived pop music writer and critic, a film writer and reviewer, and entertainment editor at the Toronto Sun. I also worked at CBC as a writer and producer, and was one of five writers selected to produce the script for the CBC's Canada For Asia live tsunami benefit broadcast in 2005.View author's profile